


Seeking Seishin

by theinconceivabletruth



Series: Ten Thousand Rivers Flow Into the Sea [1]
Category: Log Horizon, Naruto
Genre: Crossover, Espionage, Fluff, Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Just Add Ninjas, Mentorship, Puppies, but everyone agrees with the kidnapping!, highly introspective, okay maybe there is kidnapping if you squint, once again I agonize over timelines and really no one cares, there is no child stealing in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 12:38:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17808110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theinconceivabletruth/pseuds/theinconceivabletruth
Summary: IN WHICH Akatsuki Finds a Baby Ninja.





	Seeking Seishin

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is one more that exists thanks to Lord Byron (passiveperception), who was head cheerleader, sounding board, and editor. Thanks :)

The rush of tree branches whipping past Akatsuki’s face was still exhilarating, even after three months in the the world of Elder Tale. An effortless leap, sure steps down swaying branches - it was a reminder of exactly how much had changed. 

For years, she had played the role of silent assassin in Elder Tale. Even before Elder Tale, she had found refuge in mind games and deception. Akatsuki had tricked her own mind more than she had ever deceived anyone else’s. Some days, pretending that she was _ trying _ to deceive people into underestimating her was the only way Akatsuki could make it through the day. She had lived for the times she could practice the more lethal aspects of ninja life.

Now it was real. Akatsuki’s new body could do more than she had ever dreamed. Techniques that would have been impossible in both worlds, digital and mundane, were suddenly now possible. Akatsuki’s long-held dream was coming true - of finally creating a place where she belonged and had a purpose. Akatsuki thought she might have started to build that with Log Horizon. She could feel it within her grasp. There was just a nebulous  _ something  _ that was missing. Maybe it was the growth of something more between herself and Shiroe. Maybe it was something else.

Akatsuki shook her head and threw a quick flip into her next leap, trying to clear her head. It had been worth it to take a few hours for herself to scout the outer edges of the Ancient Court. The childish persona she had put on for the Conference of Lords reminded her of days in the old world, and Akatsuki hadn’t realized how much it wore on her, even only two days in. 

Akatsuki was leaping from tree to tree, en route back to the palace, when she heard a hoarse, desperate cry echo through the forest.  _ Damn. I don’t have time for a side quest right now! _ Akatsuki roughly shook her head.  _ No. I can make time - it’s not a game anymore.  _

While a ninja must prioritize the mission, she must also follow the ethics of her lord when the situation demanded. And Shiroe would never leave an innocent in harm’s way when he had the ability to help. 

On her next touchdown, Akatsuki pushed off sharply in the direction of the sound. Just before she judged she would break into sight, she slipped into <<Shadow Step>>. 

Akatsuki broke through the edge of a clearing, and assessed the situation with a sweeping glance, taking in the key details.  _ Two-mob goblin scout party. One small person, darting about the clearing. A knife flashing through the air, accurately aimed. Damage output too low.  _

_ Task identified. Eliminate threat, secure objective.  _

The skill <<Stealth Blade>> brought Akatsuki’s body crashing down like a bolt of lightning from the apex of her jump. She narrowed her eyes against the rush of wind, blade leading the way. Akatsuki’s feet hit the back of her target at the same time as the point of her sword, the momentum of her fall carrying the blade smoothly through the armored back of the goblin, piercing through its chest. 

With over 60 levels of suppression, it was a guaranteed one hit kill. The body of the goblin scout began to slump to the ground on her blade. It was still a new sensation. 

Akatsuki didn’t have time for new sensations. She had a mission to accomplish. Before the body of the goblin could hit the ground, she pushed off its back, pulling her blade with her as she went.  _ Switch targets _ . 

One quick touchdown on the ground to change direction. Dash forward to narrow the distance. A quick flick of her blade activated <<Sweeper>>, and the second goblin scout staggered back as its health bar evaporated. 

That took care of the immediate threats. 

Akatsuki turned. Her objective had intelligently put distance between themself and the fight once Akatsuki had drawn the attention of the goblins, but the open lines of sight in the clearing put her on edge. A short dash put her beside them, and moments later Akatsuki and her objective were safely up in the branches of the trees.  

The adrenaline rush slowed, and Akatsuki could focus on who exactly was in her arms. She glanced down. 

Ears were the first thing that struck her. Big, gray, silky wolf ears, pinned back in messy silver-gray hair.  _ So cute, I want to touch-- NO, control yourself! You will not act like Henrietta! _ The large black eyes peering out from under the hair struck her next. That eye proportion, combined with the small body - this was definitely a child. 

_ Oh look, there’s a tail to match the ears. _

It was a very young Wolf-Fang boy -  _ puppy? _ He looked away from Akatsuki and leaned around her shoulder to see the downed goblins. Over-large ears flicked forward and back. “Can you put me down now?” he muttered sulkily. Akatsuki put him down immediately.  _ I don’t like being held either. _

He whirled around to face her, eyes wide but ears laid back, tail-tip twitching either in irritation or frustration. They stared at each other for a beat. His eyes flicked to the fallen goblin behind her. He dropped his gaze and scuffed a boot on the ground. “I could have done that… but thanks,” he gritted out. 

Akatsuki narrowed her eyes.  _ Ungrateful brat. This kid needs a reality check. _ She focused on that spot between her eyes that would bring up the game display.

“Two goblin scouts, level 23 and 24. You’re level 13.” The scowl that got her was impressive. Akatsuki raised an eyebrow. On the outside, she was dismissive; on the inside, half of her attention was focused on that number floating above the kid’s head.  _ That’s ridiculous, the average level of Landers is only ten when an adult. _ She couldn’t help it. The compliment was going to slip out. “That was a good hit with the kunai.”

His ears lifted a fraction at the praise. Akatsuki drove on ruthlessly.

“But you’d be dead anyway, because that’s over a ten-level difference. Do you have a death wish, _ inu-chan _ ?” _ I can’t believe I just called him that. _

“Pakkun was in trouble,” he said, disgruntled and tail lashing. 

“Pakkun?”

There was a wriggle inside the boy’s shirt, and a small brown head poked out. Pakkun was apparently a dog.

_ Trying to be responsible? _ Akatsuki reached out to put her hand on the boy’s head-  _ no, the shoulder. The head is demeaning. _ “Fighting for a cause is honorable. But as a ninja, I must always consider whether I may serve my cause better in the future rather than dying now.” Akatsuki waited for him to meet her eyes again before continuing. “You have only one life. Living is the only way for you to take action. There are safer ways for you to become strong.”

“...”

“Now. Where do you live?”

*******

After returning the adorable fluf--  _ brat  _ back to the safety of, conveniently enough, the streets of the Ancient Court of Eternal Ice, Akatsuki returned to her duties. This was a role she was beginning to think of as being Shiroe’s kagemusha as he fought his way through the political swamp of Lander nobility.

The repercussions of participating in the Council of Lords were still unclear, and Akatsuki’s collection of data on Lander nobles was ever-increasing. She continued to blend in among the children present, despite how it burned her pride. Her old lies to distract herself in the other world were painfully accurate now; Akatsuki really was undercover, and she really did want them to underestimate her. The irony didn’t escape her. 

It was when Akatsuki was once more loitering within a surprisingly knowledgeable group of children that she noticed an additional presence concealing itself behind one of the columns lining the balcony. In the course of the the light teasing and play of the children, Akatsuki maneuvered herself to a blind spot behind the column and promptly shadow-stepped her way to the space directly behind the lurker. Hey, let it never be said that ninja work couldn’t be entertaining.

Big grey ears twitched, and the lurker whirled to face her. It was the boy Akatsuki had saved out in the woods. She still wanted to hug him to death.  _ Control. _

“What are you doing?” Akatsuki deadpanned. 

“What are _you_ doing, hanging out with a bunch of ‘Lander’ kids when you’re an Adventurer?” he hissed back at her. Akatsuki scanned around them. They hadn’t caught attention yet, but she should probably take this elsewhere. So she did. 

She definitely didn’t enjoy the adorable pout the boy sported after she set him down on the roof in a shadowed corner. Nope, no enjoyment at all.

“You didn’t need to do that,” he muttered, ears laid back. 

Akatsuki ignored him. “Why did you follow me?” She demanded, meeting his eyes directly until he looked away.

“You’re strong. Why aren’t you with the other Adventurers?” 

Akatsuki raised an eyebrow. “Why do you think?”

“You’re spying on the nobles,” Kakashi promptly responded.

“... What makes you say that?”  _ I didn’t really want an answer! _

The focused intent from Kakashi didn’t waver.  _ Why is that so adorable _ . “I saw you fight. You said you were busy, but I just found you here playing with a bunch of boring kids. So you’re working. You  _ look _ like a kid but you’re an Adventurer, you could be an old lady and no one would know.  _ And _ everyone knows something weird has been going on lately with the Adventurers. So you’re spying.” Kakashi concluded triumphantly.

Akatsuki was torn between being insulted and impressed. Or maybe concerned that a six-year-old just saw through her cover. Default it is. “Kakashi-kun, you’re a brat,” she said flatly.

“But I’m right.”

“I could be a bodyguard.”

“But you’re not paying attention to one specific kid.”

“...”  _ Ugh, compromised. _ Akatsuki couldn’t clearly see the smirk because of Kakashi’s mask, but the slight wag of his tail gave it away completely.  _ I can’t even stay mad at him, it’s too cute. Still, gotta maintain cover somehow. _ “Why are you so interested?”

The question seemed to shake away Kakashi’s satisfied aura. His eyes grew slightly distant. “I need to be stronger. I don’t want to be weak.” He looked up at Akatsuki. “You’re strong. And I want you to teach me.”

Akatsuki was floored. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it certainly wasn’t that. “Why me? There are Landers who are skilled enough to teach you. There are other Adventurers you could ask who are more well-known.”  _ Why me? _

Kakashi’s expression got even flatter.  _ He’s trying to separate himself from his emotions _ . Akatsuki was familiar with the urge to do so.  _ I haven’t needed to in a while though _ … 

“The guards are weak. The knights are weak. They can’t do anything by themselves. No one here will take me seriously, and I can’t leave. I don’t just want to know how to fight, I want to learn how to finish the mission, no matter what. That’s what you do.”

He was trying so hard. Trying to be adult, trying to find somewhere he was useful and might be taken seriously for who he was. Akatsuki couldn’t say no. She looked down at Kakashi, whose attempt at nonchalance was belied by an agitated, twitching tail-tip.

“Kakashi-kun. I’ll train you. Trial run.” 

Kakashi’s gaze was determined. “Thank you, sensei.”

The title sent a warm tingle down Akatsuki’s spine. “We’ll start with espionage and information gathering.”  _ And I’ll do some information gathering of my own. A skilled ninja can multitask _ . 

*******

It wasn’t, Akatsuki thought determinedly, that she was seriously considering the kid’s request in the long term. She was just practicing management of her schedule in the most efficient and ninja-ly manner possible. Akatsuki now had a margin of free space in her Very Busy Espionage Schedule.

Which was why she was now stalking an annoyingly perceptive Wolf-Fang tribe boy back to his house.  _ Right _ .

Akatsuki ghosted along the rooftops, shadowing her target. He himself was slinking along the sides of streets and between stalls with surprising stealth. Kakashi had started out walking openly down the street, but after an encounter with a gang of older children - who had encircled him, attempting to pull at his ears and tail - he had switched methods. Kakashi had extracted himself quickly, his movements more sharp and swift than the other children, despite the age gap. None of them had actually managed to touch the boy, but he was clearly bothered by the attempt.

_ His level is actually higher than theirs. _ Akatsuki had never paid much attention to the relative levels of power among Landers, but she was paying attention now. She followed Kakashi to a small house on the outskirts of the city. It appeared to have been well-kept once, but weeds were starting to spring up around it and the walls needed a new coat of whitewash. The thatch roof was starting to look weathered and thin, too.

Kakashi trudged up to the door, a small bento in hand. The slant of his ears drooped slightly, and his tail was limp. When he entered the house, Akatsuki heard the soft yip of a puppy greeting him. No one else appeared present. She frowned. Something was not quite right here. 

*******

Two days later, Akatsuki considered a self-compiled intelligence report that no one else would ever see.

_ Hatake Kakashi, age 6, level 13. Wolf-Fang Tribe. Father Hatake Sakumo, deceased. Mother Hatake Ayame, deceased. Hatake Sakumo lived with Kakashi as a single parent and served as a guard (and likely assassin) of the Duke Cowen. Permanently stationed at the Ancient Court of Eternal Ice. Hatake S. and K. are the last remaining members of the Hatake Wolf-Fang Tribe, traditionally attached and sworn to the Ancient Court of Eternal Ice. _

_ Hatake S. recently disgraced for a well-known failure. Context suggests a failed assassination attempt. Hatake S. dead by his own hand, one month. No known living relatives. Hatake K. receiving some assistance from neighbors and one friendly guardsman. None seem to have formed a strong emotional relationship with Hatake K. _

_ Hatake K. is clearly ahead of his peers developmentally and has no friends in older age groups. Possible racial bullying. Hatake K. holds himself aloof from the other children. He trains daily. At least one known instance where he was seriously outclassed and may have intentionally placed himself in said position. Suspect reckless activity and possible unconscious suicidal tendencies.  _

Akatsuki sat back and stared unseeingly at the report she had written, and resolved to burn it after committing it to memory. She- she needed time to think about this, because if Akatsuki committed to this, she would be accepting responsibility for the after effects of this whole mess. 

The facts seemed to say that Kakashi was acting out due to grief and just needed someone to take care of him. Technically, an orphanage could provide that. Yet nobody had taken him in. There seemed to be a lingering stigma - whether from his father’s actions, or from the clan’s status in the city - that was preventing anything further than cursory check-ins. Kakashi himself seemed to be keeping others at a distance, which was also likely a contributing factor. 

Hatake Kakashi was saying that he wanted to be treated like he was capable. He wanted to learn how to kill the monsters his father had supposedly failed to kill. He seemed intent on proving himself better than his father. There was probably more to it, but that seemed to be the extent of what Kakashi could articulate right now. Akatsuki didn’t blame him; between the complexity of the situation and the social pressure, a six-year-old would probably have difficulty working through it.

A six-year-old also couldn’t continue to be entirely without supervision, but it was equally clear that Kakashi was unlikely to accept an adult that wouldn’t support his desire to train. Paradoxically, the adults around him were simultaneously ignoring him beyond the necessary and expecting him to take care of himself. 

Akatsuki was conflicted. She knew what it felt like to be talked down to and restricted because she was small. Sometimes she had felt so trapped and frustrated that she wanted to die. Kakashi wasn’t quite in the same position - he was only six - but lack of attention and general disregard for him…

Akatsuki wanted to teach him. 

The thought of having an apprentice, of being a mentor, was made more attractive by her recent memories of Shiroe’s telechats with Minori. Despite his recent stress, Shiroe always finished those conversations with a faint smile. That pervert Naotsugu had Touya. Akatsuki had been starting to feel a bit left out.

_ He’s still only six _ , Akatsuki reminded herself.  _ That’s… less like taking an apprentice and more like adopting a kid. Even if he’s pretty self-sufficient. Am I ready for something like that? _ The doubt ate at her. Even if she was teaching in the short term...

It was so troublesome.  

*******

Somehow, Akatsuki managed to focus most of Kakashi’s training on stealth. Mostly she got away with it by emphasizing her current mission, espionage, and then basically throwing Kakashi’s own reason for choosing her as a teacher back at him. 

To pacify Kakashi’s little adrenaline junkie heart (and fine, her own), Akatsuki had paired today’s training with parkour. Akatsuki had chosen to focus on <<Sneak>> and <<Hide Shadow>>.  Both were basic Tracker skills that Kakashi was a high enough level to pick up. 

The goal was to reach the top of a structure through a combination of the two techniques without being seen. In a place with many people, this also required you to accurately judge when to move - when you were in a blindspot, or someone was distracted. In the video game world, this was known as pathing and positioning. In the real world, it was more psychology. Akatsuki had investigated both, and she had found herself using a mixture of the two in this new reality. It was this method Akatsuki taught to Kakashi. Because of this, she often had to stop and explain gamer jargon to him, but he almost always grasped a concept on the first try. 

They had started with trees, which had been simple and allowed Kakashi to get familiar with the technique. Now Akatsuki watched as he zig-zagged up the wall of the palace, hiding in alcoves, window nooks, and below balconies as he ascended. He was utterly focused, ears twitching towards every sound. Only occasionally did a passerby turn their heads as if catching movement out of the corner of their eye. But none of them saw Kakashi.

He was almost to the top. Akatsuki smiled and darted over herself to wait where Kakashi would finish. Level fourteen could not compare with level ninety in strength and speed. Kakashi was probably already part monkey, with how well he was keeping up with her.

When Kakashi pulled himself over the edge of the parapet, sweating and out of breath, Akatsuki was waiting. Kakashi eyed her sitting casually against the stone, and despite the mask, his pout was evident. She looked like she had been waiting forever, and Kakashi hadn’t even seen her go up.

Akatsuki could see his exasperation, but neither of them voiced it. She patted the the stone next to her. Resigned, Kakashi sat. Akatsuki took out a small package and unwrapped it.

“Good job, Kakashi-kun.” Akatsuki passed him a piece of chocolate. Kakashi took it, curious. This was chocolate made by Adventurers using the new cooking techniques. It was unlike anything Kakashi had ever tasted in his life. 

After Kakashi ate the chocolate, there was silence. “Is there more?” he asked with a disinterested air. 

Success tasted sweet. 

*******

The presence of goblins in lower level field zones should have tipped Akatsuki off that something was up. The secretive meeting held by the lords, to which the Adventurers were not invited, should have been another glaring flag. Yet the telechat call from Zantleaf still took the delegation a bit by surprise, if only from the sheer scope of the problems revealed. 

Akatsuki and the rest of the attending staff of the delegation burst into a frenzy of activity. All of them, even those not inclined to espionage, were doing their best to gather as much information as possible on all possible stances of the nobles of Eastal and what their plans might be. All of Akatsuki’s free time vanished into the ether. And the nobles’ spies were putting in just as much effort to counter them. 

It was Kakashi that tipped off Akatsuki about the next vital, secret meeting of the Lords’ Council, late on the seventh night of the Conference. When he came to her that night, Akatsuki asked him how. 

Kakashi ducked down further into his scarf. “I went looking for food in the kitchens… and tried to look ‘cute.’”

It was something that Kakashi would probably have never bothered to try before meeting Akatsuki. His determination to prove himself on his own merit would never allow it. Akatsuki wasn’t sure how to feel about it, because it wasn’t what Kakashi had come to her for. But it was still growth - and it deserved to be acknowledged. 

“Good job.” Akatsuki said. “Now let’s put your information to work.”

*******

Alleman sighed at his post. Last minute guard duty was the worst. This emergency meeting was going to throw off his sleep schedule for the next week. Captain Rolfe had thoroughly briefed them all on the necessity of ensuring none of the Adventurers got into the meeting room, and he had described all the Adventurers currently here that might try. 

It was all very hush hush, Alleman mused, for something that had a very clear cause. The rumors of the approaching goblin horde were already spreading, of course. This meant the Adventurers probably knew too, by now. 

Alleman supposed the secrecy was due to the Adventurers seeming to have suddenly grown less cooperative overnight. You could rarely find them out as often as they used to be. He didn’t blame the nobility for doing their best to strategize. Alleman had no desire to go fight the goblins himself. The Adventurers were so much better suited to it, but they seemed unwilling to use their strength.  _ If they could just make up their minds _ , Alleman thought,  _ this would be much simpler _ . 

A few more trusted servants bustled in and out of the meeting room to prepare. Alleman and his partner Corran recognized all of them. Sylpha, one of quietest of the maids, had just walked up with a stack of parchment when Alleman suddenly heard a commotion down the hall. 

_ What is that? _ He readied himself.  _ It’s not even time for the meeting though… _

Sharp yapping echoed down the hall, and around the corner skidded a tiny puppy, swiftly followed by a scrambling mix of children.  _ Oh no _ . 

The tiny horde dashed down the hallway towards them. “Get the puppy!” one screeched. 

_ Ah no, these little brats _ \- Alleman stepped out to put a stop to this nonsense as the the mess of limbs approached. The dog yelped, jumping away to the side, to the cover of a decorative table. 

“Wait, no-” Alleman could only watch the disaster as one of the little goblins dived for the dog, crashing headfirst into the table, and sending the delicate vase toppling over to shatter explosively on the floor. For a terrible moment, there was silence. 

Then the table collapsed. Suddenly there were crying kids, and Alleman just wanted to go drown his brain in the tavern. “STOP!” he yelled. 

The children cried harder. More of them were crying now.  _ What do I do? _

From behind him, Alleman heard Corran say sharply, “Hey! You can’t go in there!” Hoping he would be able to legitimately ignore the dripping, snotty, terrifying things in front of him, Alleman turned back slightly towards Corran. 

Corran had caught the hand of a young girl with a cap pulled down over her eyes and her hair tucked up. She was dressed no differently than the other children, but something made the two guards double check. A swat sent the cap spinning, and long purple hair tumbled down the girl’s shoulders. She pouted and tried to tug her arm back from Corran. “But I wanted to seeee,” she whined. Alleman did not trust that face for an instant. Girl or no, this was one of the Adventurers, and she was definitely up to something. 

Distantly, Alleman noted Sylpha had retreated into the meeting room with the excuse of her parchment, the door swinging behind her, and he wished he could follow her. Then the Adventurer girl really did break out of Corran’s grip and attempted to dart around them again, and his attention snapped back to the matter at hand. 

Alleman seized both her arms. “No! You are all leaving. Now!” He glared. “All of you are in so much trouble.” The dog whined. “You too!” 

Some of the children looked cowed and like they would fall in line, but Alleman had relaxed too soon. The Adventurer girl spun and broke free again, ducked and dodged between Corran’s legs. She paused just a few steps out of reach, stuck out her tongue and pulled her eye. 

“Nyeh! We’re not in trouble if you can’t catch us! RUN!” 

And then children were everywhere, and nowhere, and the damned Adventurer girl had disappeared completely.  

Last minute guard details were the  _ worst _ . 

*******

_ Mischief managed _ , Akatsuki grinned to herself and tossed Pakkun a treat. “Good boy.” Summoned creatures sure were useful; he had helped her create a much bigger distraction than she could have managed by herself. Now Kakashi just had to remain hidden in the meeting room - a task she was confident he could achieve, with her distracting the guards and spies with external attempts and failures. Akatsuki would be ready to slip him back out.

Now all she had to do was wait. And maybe tease those Lander guards a little more.  

*******

In the end, the recovery process went smoothly, but the boy who came out of the conference room was not the same fiercely determined boy who went in. Kakashi’s shoulder’s were rigid, and his tail hung stiff and low. Instead of going straight to the Adventurer’s rooms, Akatsuki decided to take a detour outside the castle proper for the debrief.

Because she wanted to build good habits, Akatsuki started with business first. Kakashi remained tense the entire time, but he still gave a thorough and concise summary of the lord’s secret meeting.  _ Which boils down to the lords planning to try and force us to fight for them. _ Akatsuki’s mind whirled with the need to take this information to Shiroe right away, but Kakashi looked ready to bolt.

Akatsuki stopped Kakashi before he scampered away. She could clearly see that he was upset, but she had no clue why. She wanted to know. “What’s wrong.” It was really more of a statement than a question.

Kakashi’s ears twitched. He mumbled something.

“I can’t hear you.”

“I said, it’s the same thing all over again! The stupid nobles think we’re beneath them and order us around. Order us to go die for them. It’s not fair! But the only thing you can do is follow orders.. That’s the rules. Those who disobey orders are worse than trash and deserve to die. So either way, you die. And now they’re going to force you to obey them too.” Kakashi’s chest rose and fell rapidly as his breathing increased in speed. 

Akatsuki blinked. That was a lot to process. Well, first things first: move to a secure location.

“Follow me,” she said, and immediately leapt for the trees. Kakashi scrambled behind her, trying to keep up. Akatsuki carefully kept her pace at just a hair faster than he could keep up with. She took the time granted by their travel to consider how she would respond.

Kakashi’s outburst revealed both a solid grasp of the realities of Lander social structure (something that Akatsuki and the rest of the Adventurers often struggled with) and a childish simplification of those realities.  _ “It’s the same thing all over again… those who disobey orders are worse than trash.” _ His words rang in her head. Akatsuki felt a chill.  _ Did he learn this from what happened to his father? _ Kakashi’s focus on getting stronger, on prioritizing the mission -  _ orders _ \- above all else was now cast in a darker light. Kakashi had to be strong, because he has to prove he was worth being alive. 

It was true that as a ninja, Akatsuki had sworn herself to follow Shiroe as her lord - but she had done so of her own free will, out of trust in his judgement. Everyone involved knew where they stood - and in truth, they stood as equals. It wasn’t the same thing at all.  _ No Adventurer can just be ordered around like that _ … 

But how could she communicate that to Kakashi? Akatsuki knew she was no good with words, and it was unlikely that Kakashi would believe her at just her word. If only she could show him the mindset of an Adventurer - something that neither Kakashi nor the nobles seemed to understand. Akatsuki already knew how this would likely play out. So maybe that was the way. 

Akatsuki stopped in a secluded tree top, a distance away from the main courtyards. The darkness of the night curled, quiet and comforting, around them. When Kakashi reached her branch, she turned. “It won’t be the same,” she said. “They can’t force us to do anything. An Adventurer only follows orders of their own free will. Either Adventurers will do it because they want to, or not at all.” Akatsuki paused. “And if you’re going to be apprenticed to an Adventurer, the same applies to you.”

Kakashi was staring at her, wide-eyed, Pakkun clutched in his arms. Before he could say anything, Akatsuki turned to head back to the Adventurers’ quarters in the palace. “Follow me. If you want.” The simple-sounding offer hid a deeper commitment and choice. Kakashi would be abandoning the lifestyle, thought, and culture of the People of the Land - and adopting the lifestyle of an Adventurer, not just the skills. 

Akatsuki jumped to the nearest roof - not  _ quite _ an impossible leap for Kakashi - and smiled to herself as she heard the  _ thump _ of his landing behind her.

*******

When Akatsuki reported into Shiroe, she made sure to have Kakashi station himself hidden within earshot. Akatsuki fully intended to trust Shiroe with Kakashi’s existence, but first she needed to show Kakashi why she had chosen Shiroe.  _ Actions speak louder than words. Not to mention, the tension is so high it’s about to snap. Shiroe-dono will take action soon. _ Akatsuki nodded decisively to herself.  _ I have to keep Kakashi-kun close _ . 

Shiroe’s sigh shook her out of her thoughts. “Thanks, Akatsuki.” He smiled. “We’re going to be walking a fine line here. It would be much more difficult without your skills.”

Akatsuki blushed and swiftly changed the topic. “My Lord, with the goblin issue, I’d like to help, but…” she trailed off. 

Shiroe hummed. “Yes, it is a bit of a sticking point - how to lend our aid without appearing weak now… Well, we’ll manage.” 

“Of course, my Lord.” 

Shiroe called over Krusty and Michitaka and laid out the intelligence that Akatsuki had brought. Krusty was utterly unmoved. Michitaka, on the other hand, was outraged. 

“Ah, here’s what I think our roles should be…” 

*******

After the strategy meeting was over, Akatsuki collected Kakashi from his hiding place. She had a funny feeling that Krusty had noticed him, even if Shiroe hadn’t. Krusty hadn’t cared to say anything, however.  _ Meh, later _ . 

They retreated to Akatsuki’s temporary quarters through the window. Akatsuki had only used the door that the spies watched when she was dressed up as a child. The rooms were all quite close together, which made the subterfuge relatively simple. The room was on the smaller side, which suited Akatsuki just fine. 

Evening had already well set in by this point, and Kakashi’s tail had begun to droop from fatigue. Akatsuki laid out a small meal for the two of them; she had declined eating tonight with Shiroe, knowing Kakashi would have to wait if she accepted. While the new cooking techniques were rapidly spreading amongst the Landers, Akatsuki had noticed that it increased the cost of food, and it was less likely for the Lander commoners to be able to afford the time and money it consumed. Until he had met Akatsuki, Kakashi had never truly tasted a cooked meal. She watched Kakashi subtly savor the taste of the simple meal and felt a small curl of satisfaction. 

This was the first time Akatsuki had brought Kakashi back to the Adventurer’s rooms to look after him, and he was clearly feeling awkward. Akatsuki didn’t let it affect her. As soon as Kakashi had finished eating and they had run through preparations for the next morning, Akatsuki was nudging him towards the bed. 

“Bedtime.”

Kakashi balked. “I’m not tired. It’s not that late.”

“Ninja need to be well-rested to efficiently complete the mission.” 

Kakashi’s scowl was evident in the twist of his ears. “Then where are  _ you _ going to sleep?”

“Field sleeping kit.”

Kakashi gave in ungracefully, climbing into the bed and turning away from Akatsuki. Instead of pulling out her kit immediately, Akatsuki settled herself on the broad windowsill, looking out into the night. Torches flickered in the courtyard. She breathed steadily. On the bed, Kakashi’s breathing pattern slowly eased into the soft rhythm of sleep.

Akatsuki contemplated the cold, clear light of the moon. 

Time passed by, marked by Akatsuki in the shifting of shadows and the routine passage of guards on their rounds. She wasn’t tired; something in her remained alert and at attention. 

Kakashi’s breathing stuttered, drawing her attention.  He shifted in the bed, curling in more tightly on himself. A whimper reached Akatsuki’s ears. Before she fully formed the thought, Akatsuki was standing next to the bed. 

It was clearly a nightmare. Though the mask obscured Kakashi’s mouth, his brow was furrowed, and his eyes flicked about rapidly beneath his eyelids. The pace of his breathing was rapid, and his fingers clenched tight on the blanket.

Akatsuki hesitated. She decided not to wake him. Instead, Akatsuki carefully slid onto the bed next to him, leaning against the headboard. Kakashi’s spine pressed against her thigh, and she gently reached out and stroked his head. The image of her younger sister, curled up next to her the same way, flashed through Akatsuki’s head. 

Kakashi stiffened in his sleep, and Akatsuki’s heart nearly stopped.  _ Did I make a mistake _ ? She froze as Kakashi tossed in his sleep and turned over, curling into her side. Kakashi’s head nudged against her, breath still a little uneven. After he had stopped shifting, Akatsuki lowered her raised hands, one resting on Kakashi’s shoulder. She rubbed her thumb in soft circles on his shoulder.

Akatsuki breathed, and slowly Kakashi’s breathing steadied to match her own. 

*******

The next day found Akatsuki crouched in the shadows of the Lords’ Council Chamber, concealed with <<Hide Shadow>>. Kakashi crouched behind her, and he also had the technique activated. It’s effectiveness was lowered by Kakashi’s lower level, but they were using Akatsuki’s <<Hide Shadow>> to overlap and shield him from view. The room itself was a bit small to remain hidden in, but between carefully selected clothes and a liberal use of <<Sneak>> and <<Hide Shadow>>, they managed it. It didn’t hurt that most of the Lords were extremely nervous and distracted. 

Akatsuki watched the fat, sweating figure of Baron Clendit make his opening statements. He was visibly nervous, glancing at the scowling faces of a few specific lords Akatsuki had noted as being the most aggressive about potentially using Adventurer manpower. They had the most to lose, after all.

Round and around the topic the Baron danced. Finally, Shiroe ruthlessly broke in when Baron Clendit once again stumbled, asking about the status of the Izumo Knights. This was a calculated way to allow Shiroe to start moving towards a position supporting sending in Adventurers. 

Michitaka was to play Shiroe’s foil. Yet the emotions in the room, on both sides, ran too high. The resulting shouting match drove them into a stalemate, with no room for either side to budge. There was no room for Shiroe to make well-meaning concessions without allowing the lords to walk all over them. And Shiroe knew it - Akatsuki could see it in his face, despite his overall calm aura. 

Akatsuki knew as well as anyone that a deadlock like this wouldn’t turn out well for either side. She could feel Kakashi fidgeting behind her. Clearly he was as aware of the tension as she. 

Into this barged Rayneshia, Princess of Maihama. From what Akatsuki’s intelligence gathering had told them, she was a generally useless political figure, for all that Krusty seemed to enjoy bothering her. But it was Rayneshias’s very powerlessness that allowed her to make a gamble now. Akatsuki was grudgingly impressed by her bravery. 

But Akatsuki didn’t get the luxury of time to admire it, because there they go again, with only the smallest of signals from Shiroe. 

As soon as the piercing shrill of the griffin whistle sounded, Akatsuki knew she had about one minute to make a choice. Yet it was no choice at all, really. It was time to leave. Akatsuki had already decided to take responsibility for Kakashi. So clearly he was coming with her. 

Akatsuki flashed over to Kakashi’s position and ensured his hood was tugged firmly over his hair. She looked him dead in the eye, ignoring the commotion throughout the room. “We’re going.”

Kakashi was confused but determined, and he dashed out the door onto the terrace with her just as the griffins were sweeping by the balustrade. Akatsuki spun, grabbed, and leapt, landing neatly on the griffin’s back in front of Shiroe, Kakashi bundled in her arms.

She would treasure Shiroe’s startled expression for the rest of her life. 

*******

Between the shock of an extra passenger and the adrenaline of  _ Exit, pursued by a Duke _ , Shiroe allowed the first minutes of the flight to pass in silence until the adrenaline wore off. At that point, the tiny, black-clad person in front of Akatsuki shook off their hood and peered side to side. 

“Ah… who is this?”  _ Those are definitely ears. On a child. That’s a Wolf-Fang Tribe child. Why does Akatsuki have a child with her? _ Shiroe really didn’t know what to think. 

Akatsuki didn’t turn around, but answered with a simple, “Kakashi-kun.”

_ One word territory. She’s nervous _ . “And why is Kakashi-kun coming with us?” Shiroe wasn’t sure what he wanted to hear.  _ Please don’t let this be a “may we please keep the kitty, I’ll take care of it” moment. _

“Kakashi-kun is my apprentice.”

_ Well, that didn’t make it into any of your meticulous reports, Akatsuki! _ A thought occurred to Shiroe. He had never seen an Adventurer so young before… but the Wolf-Fang Tribe was notoriously protective of their children... “Is Kakashi-kun a Lander?”

Two heads swiveled to look at him in flat disbelief. 

“Yes, I suppose that was a stupid question.”  _ Their expressions are exactly the same _ . Shiroe sweated. He opened his mouth to continue down his line of questions, but a rush of wind and feathers cut him off. 

Krusty’s griffin swooped in, nearly clipping wings with the wings of Shiroe’s griffin, which squawked angrily. Rayneshia appeared to be holding on for dear life, but was completely out of it. Krusty’s glasses flashed. The glance that swept over the three of them was scathing. 

“Starting a family, Black-hearted Shiroe?”

The wind buffeted the griffins apart before Shiroe could respond. Not that he would have been able to; the blush that had bloomed across his face burned so bad it was debilitating.  _ Hey, I don’t even know how I got in this situation! You’re carrying someone with you too, you bastard! _

Akatsuki was stiff as a board in his arms. Absently Shiroe noted that the tips of Akatsuki’s ears were very red. “Krusty’s only upset because he was really on the ropes earlier…” Shiroe muttered.  _ Oh gods, the kid is staring at me _ … 

The kid. Not an Adventurer.  _ Parents _ . 

Shiroe’s stomach sank. He didn’t want to ask.

“Akatsuki… please don’t tell me you kidnapped this kid.” 

Silence. Akatsuki didn’t so much as twitch. 

_ The lack of a tell is as good as a tell. _ Shiroe could feel a migraine coming on. “You can’t just take children without asking!” 

There was a pause, as Shiroe waited for Akatsuki to explain herself. 

“Please, may I take this child, my Lord?”

_ Shit _ .

 

~OMAKE 1~

 

Henrietta watched as a small Wolf-Fang Lander child stared intently at Akatsuki from behind a column. His tail was twitching slightly and his ears were pricked forward attentively.  _ That’s... kind of adorably stalker-ish. _ She noticed his mouth moving, and wandered closer in an attempt to overhear. When she finally did, she choked on a laugh. Henrietta immediately turned and dashed around the corner to hold her sides together. 

_ “Notice me, sempai. Notice me, sempai. Notice me, sempai…” _

 

~POST CREDITS SCENE~

 

The craziness of the Goblin Invasion and negotiations with the Lords’ Council had finally ended. Shiroe sighed, satisfied and resigned to at last turn to his own desk, in his own guildhouse. New mail, messages, and documents were already waiting for him. 

Shiroe picked up the one on top, a thick fold of parchment with a heavy seal.  _ Likely from a Lander. _ He sat and broke the seal, ready for mercantile or military overtures. 

It was neither. 

 

_ “Lord Shiroe, Archmage of Akiba -  _

_ It has come to our attention that a Wolf-Fang Tribe child of some merit, one of the People of the Land and a subject of the Eastal League of Free Cities, has vanished from his guardian’s care in and reappeared in your guild’s company…” _

 

Shiroe knew he had forgotten something. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> IT TOOK SO LONG TO FINISH THIS ><  
> But here we are. Still feeling ...eh... about some of the character interactions, but I hope those of you who stayed enjoyed. Also, there is [some art I made myself a while ago...](https://american-adventurers-guild.tumblr.com/post/182841306752/so-heres-a-teaser-for-the-new-fic-ill-be-posting).  
> Constructive criticism is appreciated!


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